Duke Lemur Center: the world's largest and most diverse collection of lemurs outside of Madagascar.
When was your organization founded? In 1966, the nascent Duke Lemur Center (DLC) was founded on 80 wooded acres, two miles from the main Duke campus. The DLC assembled the largest living collection of endangered primates in the world, both in numbers of species and in number of individuals. over its history, the DLC has housed, cared for, and made available for study nearly 4,000 animals across 31 species of non-human primates, including lemurs, lorises, and at one point, tarsiers (together, colloquially referred to as prosimian primates). Today, it houses nearly 250 individuals across 21 species. The scientific endeavors at the DLC span a remarkable array of disciplines, from behavior and genomics to physiology and paleontology. conservation biology is also a major focus and provides the conceptual and operational bridge between the living collections of the DLC and its outreach activities in Madagascar.What role does interpretation play at your organization?
Interpretation serves as a bridge between the scientific and normal, everyday world. Lemurs' survival relies on people knowing there is a problem and caring enough to take action. Interpretation engages scientists, students, and the public in new discoveries and global awareness, and allows the center to promote a deeper appreciation of biodiversity and an understanding of the power of scientific discovery.
The DLc has about 40 employees, four of whom are dedicated to interpretation. We also have 5 to 8 university work-study students in the tour department during the academic year.
What are your current programming priorities? The DLC continues to improve and expand upon our current educational offerings. our guided tours are the foundation of our education program, bringing visitors close to lemurs and creating an experience that leads them to care about them. We want visitors to delve deeper into the fascinating biodiversity on the island and the issues that flora and fauna are facing. We are creating educational programs for all age levels that highlight the amazing biodiversity on the island of Madagascar as well as the research and conservation work we do in both Durham and in Madagascar.
Does the organization have any big plans in its future? The DLC is coming up on its 50th anniversary. We are in the planning stages for an action-packed week of seminars led by the most prestigious lemur researchers and conservationists from all over the world, lemur-themed community events, and an exciting evening fundraiser consisting of dinner and live entertainment!
What has your NAI membership meant to your organization? our
membership in NAI has immersed the DLC into a culture of interpretation. We now strive to use the lemurs as the magnet that draws our visitors into a discussion about scientific discovery, biodiversity, and conservation versus talking about the natural history characteristics. NAI opened the Lemur center up to new methods, training, and development opportunities to advance our interpreters in their field while creating a better experience for visitors. The Lemur Center has been featured in an NAI video and soon NAI's Zoos, Wildlife Parks, and Aquaria section newsletter--the welcome from NAI has been overwhelming!
The NAI Institutional Member Spotlight features a different member organization in each issue. If you'd like to see your organization featured, contact Jamie King at [email protected]
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| Title Annotation: | NAI INSTITUTIONAL MEMBER SPOTLIGHT |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Legacy Magazine |
| Date: | Mar 1, 2015 |
| Words: | 536 |
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